Merry Christmas, Eggplant!
by MorningSunElke
Summary: Written for Kumiko's ZoSan Christmas Exchange: Zoro is a regular at Baratie, the restaurant where Sanji works. Usually he's always accompanied by a random date but this Christmas he arrives alone. Will Sanji finally be able to step up to his crush, and start a conversation? Or will they need a Christmas miracle to start something more?


_**ZoSan holiday exchange**_

Christmas Eve - 2013

The back ally was completely covered in a thin veil of snow. It brought some gentle calmness to the otherwise dark and grey alleyway. The world seemed almost asleep.

As Sanji enjoyed the last rushes of nicotine from his cigarette, he took one final breath before venturing back onto the battlefield.

Christmas Eve always meant it was even busier than usual at the Baratie. They'd been fully booked for months in advance. And busy nights meant Sanji had to work overtime: cooking, waiting tables, checking reservations and bringing people to their table. He had to be everywhere at the same time. Not that he minded – on the contrary- he _loved_ it. That pure rush of energy that came from seeing people happy from eating good -and if he made it, _great_- food. But what made Sanji even happier tonight was that _he_ was here again.

At least once every week he'd walk in Baratie with a random extra by his side. His dates would range from beautiful busty redheads to black haired, freckled men. He wasn't counting or eavesdropping, but the man had been with a Robin, some kid named Luffy, a random dude named Johnny, … and _no_, he wasn't jealous. In fact, in some perverted way, he felt strangely proud and satisfied. For whatever reason this deliciously hot man never came back with the same person twice. Sanji didn't know if it was because the man was extremely frivolous or had incredibly high standards, but one thing he _was_ sure of, there was one thing that _was_ good enough to keep him coming back for more, and that was Sanji's food. In some weird twist of fate, the man also _always_ managed to order the dish Sanji had to cook that evening. Even the idiots in the kitchen had noticed and started calling the green-haired man, _his_ customer.

The moment Zoro entered the restaurant, Sanji felt his gaze follow his every move as usual. His unusual green hair, his broad shoulders, his absolutely unstylish outfit-which oddly suited him- and the three golden earrings dangling from his left ear.

The man had been in his thoughts and dreams ever since he'd first laid eyes on him and this crazy silly crush just kept on growing. Carefully watching as the man made his way towards his regular table near the bar, Sanji's mind went back to the usual daydreams. They always involved cooking in some way. From food play to just romantically making him breakfast after a long night of strenuous activities, all was good as long as it involved this one dangerously attractive man he only knew through short conversations when taking his order.

"Look what the cat dragged in again." He called, walking over with his usual air of confidence.

"Shut up, shitty cook." Zoro immediately replied. "Just give me a bottle of whatever you've got laying around and get your prissy ass out of my general direction."

"Sorry to disappoint, but if you don't want my ass anywhere near you, why don't you just go somewhere else?"

Sanji would never admit it out loud, but these fights were his _second_ favourite thing about seeing Zoro. His favourite part was looking at his ass, but that was a secret he was taking to the grave. And judging by the smirk on the other man's face, he equally enjoyed it.

"Oi, bastard... Where's your date?" Sanji asked in an attempt to keep the conversation going.

"What?"

"It's Christmas Eve, you brainless idiot! It's couples-only today."

"Busy at the moment-"

"What?"

Instead of replying, Zoro just looked up from his menu and smiled seductively. Slightly thrown off by the aloof behaviour, Sanji immediately got back to what he usually did, and that was antagonizing his favourite green-haired bastard.

But before he could even open his mouth, he was rudely interrupted by screams from behind the bar.

"Eggplant! Stop flirting for 5 seconds and move your ass over to the piano!"

"Shut up, you old geezer! Don't get your panties in a twist, I'm on my way."

Without another word, Sanji turned around and made his way towards the grand piano in the centre of the room. It was some sort of a Baratie tradition that during special occasions, like Christmas Eve, there was live music. And being the stubborn and picky bastard that he was -although he preferred the term 'critical' and 'with an eye for quality- Sanji usually refused to let people he didn't know and trust play.

Tonight that meant he had to fill the empty seat _himself_ since their regular, Brook, couldn't make it. Not that he really had any reason to complain. He loved to play the piano. Granted, it didn't stand on par with cooking and fighting with his favourite guest, but it was close. He guessed it had something to do with people's reaction. Sanji loved nothing more than to watch people react to something he did, or something he made. The faces of ecstasy and fulfillment when eating his food or the looks of desire and longing when listening to his voice, they all filled him with a deep and strong feeling of …_passion_.

As he sat down in front of the large piano, he made sure to have proper eye contact with some of the guests, silently inviting them to his song, as he started to warm up by playing the first notes. Ending his little intro for a couple of seconds, he could hear the entire restaurant had turned silent…all in anticipation for the song they knew would start.

Without waiting any longer his eyes made his way towards Zoro, and as blue eyes met grey, he started singing.

"_You could be my unintended  
Choice to live my life extended.  
You could be the one I'll always love"_

Sending every ounce of emotion he could muster into his voice, Sanji kept on going. Zoro's fierce gaze pushed him further and edged him on. Zoro always managed to do this to him. Good just wasn't good enough when it came to him. He wanted to cook the finest food, have the last word in arguments and now… now he wanted to sing his socks off.

_"You could be the one who listens to my deepest inquisitions.  
You could be the one I'll always love"  
_

And with every note, every tune and every word uttered, Sanji realized just how much this crush was getting to him. This wasn't just one of his usual flings…one of his many crushes that came and went. He wanted more of Zoro. He wanted _all_ of Zoro.

_"I'll be there as soon as I can  
But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before"_

_"First there was the one who challenged_  
_All my dreams and all my balance_  
_She could never be as good as you"_

As Sanji kept singing, successfully mesmerizing about pretty much every female in the restaurant, his eyes moved back to Zoro.

"_You could be my unintended  
Choice to live my life extended  
You should be the one I'll always love"_

_"I'll be there as soon as I can_  
_But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before"_

_"I'll be there as soon as I can_  
_But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before_  
_Before you"_

Even as the last notes filled the room and died down, Zoro's gaze did not leave Sanji's. Combined with the rush of adrenaline from playing for a crowd, he felt a jolt of energy pass through his veins at the sight. The shitty Marimo just wouldn't stop staring.

He just couldn't take it anymore. He _had _to talk to him. Ask him for his number. Ask him out.

Slightly nervous, like he'd never been with anyone before, he got up and walked over again to Zoro's table, hoping with all his heart he had a shot at this.

"Finally ready to order, you shithead?" _Great start, Sanji…real smooth!_

"Hmm, I guess." Zoro replied absentmindedly.

"It seems your date stood you up though. Not that I blame 'em. Who'd want to be on a shitty date with you anyway?"

_I would_, Sanji couldn't help but think…

"I mean, it's not like you're ever here with the same person twice. They all run away from you after just one date."

"Oh really? Sounds to me like you've been watching me, curly-brow." Zoro replied, looking a little too smug in Sanji's opinion.

"Shu-Shut up, bastard! Don't flatter yourself!" Sanji replied, _just_ that little bit too fast to hide his embarrassment. "It's just you're nearly impossible to miss,-"

"Why thank you, you're not that bad looking yourself."

_Oh god, now he's straight forwardly flirting with me… _he thought.

Sanji did not know what to do…he felt trapped between running away, doing an internal victory dance…or just straight up _do_ the man on the table in front of him. It was unbelievable. Talking to him made it seem like the entire world just disappeared.

"I meant with that freakish hair, you idiot."

"Sure, I believe you."

As the two men kept squabbling, Zeff and the others were watching the scene from the kitchen. They'd all seen how Sanji's crush had developed, and they'd also seen the many looks that were sent Sanji's way by the other man. There was no denying it…they were dealing with a couple of idiots. Too crazy about each other to even notice the other was crazy about them too.

Zeff couldn't help but wonder how in the world he had managed to raise such an idiot.

That's why he had it all planned out this year. He'd walked up to his son's crush and proposed the plan. Naturally Zoro would order a table, as he always did. But this year, there would be no date. Sanji schedule would seem packed, while in fact he'd put in extra staff so Sanji could take it easy.

The eggplant deserved a Christmas present after all.

Feeling pretty happy with himself and the obvious success of his plan Zeff went back to dressing up the final plates. He called over Patty to bring the plates to the table. With just one look at the plates, Patty knew exactly where he needed to be and made his way over to the arguing couple, or couple-to-be to be exact.

"Here you go, bastards. Dinner is served." Patty said as he arrived at the table where Sanji was still flirt-fighting -or was it more fight-flirting- with 'his customer'.

"We didn't order anything, you shitty fu-" Sanji shouted, but as soon as he saw the plates, he instantly paled.

"Owner says to sit the fuck down and enjoy your date, you bastard." Patty said, putting down the two delicious plates of food, before turning around and walking away like it was nothing.

"Wha-" A little shocked Sanji turned around in an attempt to find Zeff and ask him what the fuck Patty meant, when Zoro interrupted his train of thought.

"Sit down, cook."

"What? Why?"

"So the food doesn't get cold. It's good by the way. Not as good as the shit you make for me, but good.

"Wait…_What_?"

"Dude, how many times are you going to ask me that? For the last time, sit down, eat and enjoy our date."

"Date? What date?"

"The date we're having…or well, the date we could be having if you'd just sit the fuck down and calm your skinny little ass."

This was unbelievable. This was all some big conspiracy, Sanji was sure of it. Zeff, Patty, Zoro…probably the rest of the staff as well…they were all out to get him and laugh at his obvious crush. But Zoro…Zoro was no longer looking at him with the confident and challenging look he'd been giving him all night. Instead, his eyes held a softer, more fragile look…like he was worried or…serious? _Could it really be? _

Feeling the unsettling pain in his chest lessen, Sanji realized what this really meant. Call him romantic, but it felt like a Christmas miracle.

With a soft smile –and more butterflies in his stomach than ever before- Sanji sat down.

"Well, in that case…Sorry, I'm late." He cooed, instantly changing into his flirty self, before digging into the dish Zeff had prepared.

It almost felt like a waste to erase the message Zeff had left him, but Sanji still had his policy to never waste food. Not even in cases like this.

'_Merry Christmas, Eggplant! Now go kiss your idiot!'_

So he did.

A.N/ This was written for Kumiko-sama-chan's ZoSan Christmas Exchange... I hope I did well enough. This exchange is filled with so many amazingly talented writers...and then there's me... Oh well, I hope you all enjoyed! Because that's most important, I guess! Happy holidays, everyone! I wish you all lots of joy and ZoSan in 2014!

Also, the song Sanji sings is 'Unintended' from Muse! Go listen!


End file.
